Vehicle registration plates of Ontario

The Canadian province of Ontario first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1903. Plates are currently issued by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

The symbol of a crown, representing the Crown of Canada, has appeared on almost all Ontario licence plates since 1937, when it was first used to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Exceptions include the 1951 plates, and farm series plates issued in the 1980s and 1990s. Toronto politician and Orange Order leader Leslie Saunders led protests against a proposal to remove the crown in 1948, a decision the government overturned.^[1]

Along with regular series plates, the province also offers graphic plates and vanity plates with a maximum of eight digits.

Passenger plates 1950 to present

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that standardized the size for licence plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Ontario licence plate that complied with these standards

All Ontario licence plates issued since 1972 are still valid for display today, provided they have been continuously registered.

Image	First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1949	white on black	1950	12A34
	1967	white on blue with embossed crown separator	1968	12-34; 123-456; A12-345; 123-45A		1968-82 - plate expiry was March 31 of following year
	1968	blue on white with embossed crown separator	1969	12-34; 123-456; A12-345; 123-45A
	1969	white on blue with embossed crown separator	1970	123-456; A12-345; 123-45A		Some station wagon plates issued in 1X2-345 format
	1970	white on blue with embossed crown separator	1971	123-456; A12-345; 123-45A		Some station wagon plates issued in 1X2-345 format
	1971	blue on white with embossed crown separator	1972	123-456; A12-345; 123-45A		final single year issue; some station wagon plates issued in 1X2-345 format
	1972	blue on white with embossed crown separator	73 Keep it Beautiful	ABC-123	AAA-001 to NKJ-999	first multi-year issue (originally intended for 5 years, but still valid today with current registration)
	1978	blue on white with embossed crown separator	Keep it Beautiful	ABC-123	NKK-001 to TMA-999	year removed; sticker box does not join border
	1982	blue on white with embossed crown separator	Yours to Discover	ABC-123	TMB-001 to ZZZ-999	new slogan; sticker box removed; staggered registration (registrant's birthday) introduced 1983
	1986	blue on white with embossed crown separator	Yours to Discover	123-ABC (issued in alphabetical order)	001-AAA to 999-VYH	serial format changed
	1994	blue on reflective white with screened crown separator. Crown appears at lower right corner on personalized plates on this and later issues.	Yours to Discover	123-ABC	001-VYJ to 999-ZZZ	province name, slogan and crown separator now screened; narrower dies to accommodate 7 digits; reflective background
	1997 (English) 2008 (French)	blue on reflective white with screened crown separator	Yours to Discover (English) Tant à Découvrir (French)	ABCD-123	AAAA-001 to present	serial format changed

Green vehicle plates 2010 to present

Image	First issued	Description	Slogan	Serial Format	Serials issued	Notes
	2010	Green on white with graphic trillium separator	Green Vehicle (English) Véhicule écologique (French)	GVAB 123 (English) VEAB 123 (French)	GVAA 001 to present (English) VEAA 001 to present (French)	Issued only to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles

Serial numbers reserved for government officials

Commercial Plates 1980 to present

Image	First issued	Description	Slogan	Serial Format	Serials issued	Notes
	1980	black on white with embossed crown separator	None	AB1 234	AA0 001 to YZ9 999	Also used for non-passenger personal vehicles (i.e. pick-up trucks, panel vans)
	1995	black on reflective white with screened crown separator	Yours to Discover	AB1 234	ZA0 001 to ZZ9 999	Screened slogan added, frame removed, reflective background, province and crown now screened.
	1996 (English) 2008 (French)	black on reflective white with screened crown separator	Yours to Discover (English) Tant à Découvrir (French)	234 1AB	001 0AA to 999 9ZZ	Serial format changed.
	2011	black on reflective white with screened crown separator	Yours to Discover (English) Tant à Découvrir (French)	AB 12345	AA 10000 to present	Serial format changed.

Non-passenger plates

Image	First issued	Description	Slogan	Serial format	Notes
	1994	white on reflective red with screened crown separator	Yours to Discover	123-CCC	Diplomatic Plate
	2004	printed on security paper with barcode	10 Day Temporary Permit/Permis Provisoire de Dix Jours	A-123456	temporary use only, placed on dashboard at windshield

General registration licence plates

In Ontario, motor vehicle dealers licenced under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act use a single portable plate with the word "DEALER" on the left side and red alpha-numeric characters on a white background. It is for exclusive use by motor vehicle dealers only on motor vehicles owned as part of the dealer's inventory of vehicles for sale. It may also be used for private use vehicles that are owned as part of the dealer's inventory of vehicles for sale.

Service providers, including anyone who repairs, customizes, modifies, manufactures or transports motor vehicles or trailers use yellow and black DLR series plates (Dealer and Service Plate).

A service plate may be used:

• on a trailer or motor vehicle other than a motorcycle or motor-assisted bicycle for purposes related to the repair, road testing, customization or modification of the vehicle, if the vehicle is in the possession of the person to whom the service plate is issued, or
• for the purpose of transporting the vehicle by a person engaged in the business of transporting vehicles, or
• for purposes related to the manufacturing or sale of a trailer, or
• for the purpose of towing the vehicle by a person engaged in the business of transporting vehicles, or
• to tow a vehicle to a location where its load will be removed or to an impound facility.

Private use of motor vehicles or trailers with a service plate is not permitted.

See also

• Canadian veteran licence plates

References

External links

• Ontario licence plates 1969-present
• History of Ontario licence Plates

Vehicle registration plates of Canada (by province or territory) British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Ontario Quebec New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia Newfoundland and Labrador Yukon Northwest Territories Nunavut